Egypt's Brotherhood says military plans coup

Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 01:36

July 3 - Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group President Mohamed Mursi hails from, says the military is planning a coup ahead of a deadline to fix the country's political crisis. Jessica Gray reports.

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Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi chant slogans in the streets.
The mood here is tense ahead of a Wednesday deadline imposed by the nation's military, which is demanding Mursi reach a power sharing deal with the opposition.
If he fails to do so, the military has said it will intervene.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which Mursi hails, says the military's move is part of a planned coup.
SOUNDBITE) (English) SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, GEHAD EL-HADDAD, SAYING:
"I think the military coup is indeed underway, I think that we are seeing many signs of that at the moment and I don't think that the Egyptian people will tolerate another resurface of the old regime under any banner."
Gehad el-Haddad also said supporters were willing to risk their lives to prevent the military from taking over.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, GEHAD EL-HADDAD, SAYING:
"When we say that we will stand between the tanks and the president that means that we will sacrifice ourselves as a human shield to protect the legitimacy of the will of the Egyptian people."
His words echo Mursi's Tuesday evening speech where he said he was willing to make concessions, but refused to step down or heed the military's proposed roadmap.
Mursi is Egypt's first democratically elected president.
On June 30, anti-Mursi protesters held the biggest demonstration since the country's January 2011 revolution, calling for him to resign in the wake of an ailing economy and political deadlock.
Military sources had told Reuters they are prepared to side-line the president and suspend the constitution at 5 p.m. local time.